Behind Those Emerald Eyes

Chapter 2: Emerald Eyes

It was the first hour of the first school day of the new year, and Everett Landon sat in his office. He did not desire by any means to go to the Great Hall where the first years were being put into Houses, yet McGonagall had insisted upon him being present to meet the rest of the Professors and introduce himself to the students. Running a hand though his unruly hair, Everett stood up almost painfully and slipped out into the Great Hall.

Nice addition of first years to Gryffindor this year...will need to watch that Kip Flaggan though...he's already set a dung bomb off... Hermione was lost in her thoughts, sitting at the front of the Great Hall with the rest of the teachers, perusing the new young witches and wizards. Hearing Malfoy try to control his apparent panic at the number of students in the hall--he was breathing rather shallowly in fact--Hermione brought her attention back to McGonagall, who was now starting her beginning of the year speech.

"...this school year..." was as far as Hermione got, when she saw a shadow stealthily making its way around the Great Hall towards the staff table. As the shadow stepped into the pool of light from the candles hanging in midair, Hermione let slip a short intake of breath.

For the shadow was not in fact a shadow, but a young man, a rather interesting one for that matter. The dark hair reached just below his ears and sheltered his eyes, which were two bright lights surveying the Great Hall with an emotion Hermione could not distinguish. He walked so tentatively and quietly that she wondered if any of the students had even noticed him.

As the man got closer she could make out a pattern of scars on his face, but rather than detract from his features, Hermione thought they added quite a bit to his attractiveness. I'll need to watch myself around him...I need to protect myself from being hurt again. He looks...so.... But before she could finish her thought, the bright eyes settled on Hermione's face and the man faltered in his steps, almost tripping on his own feet. Hermione froze.

"...you will now find the heads of your--Prof. Landon!!" McGonagall had finally noticed his presence. "Prof. Landon! So glad you made it. Students, this is your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Everett Landon."

He pulled his attention from Hermione and turned to look over the student body, offering a slight nod of acknowledgement as he took his seat. Hermione thought he looked most disconcerted.

"Who do you think he is?" Malfoy questioned.

"Were you not listening? His name is Everett Landon, he's the new DADA Professor." Offering a curt answer, Hermione turned her attention back to studying the new arrival. He was rather attractive, but because of his looks or the mystery following him Hermione did not know.

"I know that! I mean, where do you think he's from? Do you think he ever fought a dark wizard?"

The wary transfiguration professor sighed, "Oh, I don't know. Why don't you visit him in his office this afternoon?" He doesn't look much like a talker though.

"I can't do that! I'm a nervous wreck...I hope he doesn't keep spiders..." Prof. Malfoy's voice trailed off. McGonagall ended her speech with a tribute to

Dumbledore and everyone got up to leave for the first classes of the day.

Kip Flaggan was getting into mischief already. He had found the DADA classroom and was doing his best to make it look like a natural disaster had really wrecked havoc. Inside a room, be as it may.

"You will find the combustion spell very useful. My jars of specimen are on the opposite wall," said a steady, even voice from the doorway.

Kip stopped moving. Turning around, he found an amused yet foreboding Prof. Landon watching him with his arms folded.

"I...I...I'm sorry."

"It's quite forgiven. I should warn you your head of house wants you in her office."

Kip found the nearest exit as quick as he could, racing away and leaving Landon to tidy up his classroom. It took a matter of seconds with magic. Magic saved my life.. Just as he finished, a quiet tapping came at the door.

"Everett, I need to speak to you in my office. Privately." The look in McGonagall's eyes pleaded with him. "I took the liberty of canceling your classes this afternoon. Please come with me."

"...so I need you to help her." McGonagall finished as she traced a line across her desk absentmindedly. "You particularly held her attention this morning, and as being I think you're the best possible hope for helping her to open up again."

Let me get this straight. Everett thought. I'm to help Hermione Granger open herself up to others by becoming friends with her... and allowing her to trust me? Can she? I don't know if I can handle this...I don't know if she can handle this...it might be too painful...

"Sure." Everett mentally kicked himself. Why did I have to agree!

"Oh thank Merlin! Please, you'll find her in her office. Third floor second door on the right." McGonagall sincerely pitied the state in which Hermione was allowing herself to live. "Before you leave, I must inform you of why she has become this way, so that you might have a better understanding. 10 years ago, Harry Potter broke a promise..."

Hermione was in her office, head on desk, fitfully sleeping when Everett entered. He thought she looked so-- so tired...she had a right to be.

What can I say? What should I do? Everett decided to sit on her desk and wait for her to wake up. It's been so long. Will she even remember me? No...it's probably better this way. He watched her eyelids flutter in sleep and open.

Hermione let out a shriek and began flailing her arms in an attempt to get up and away from the intruding man sitting very, very close to her. Tripping on her chair she fell forward into the intruder instead of away from him.

"Please! It's alright! It's alright!," Everett managed. "I'm just here to meet you! Please--stop!" Hermione's hand had found his hair and was pulling at it with a strength Everett did not think possible. He gripped her writhing body to him forcefully until the panic subsided and she went limp.

Hermione glared at him. "That wasn't very nice. Do you know how frightening it is to wake up with a stranger next to--" Hermione cut herself short. In pulling his hair it had gotten mussed and revealed his eyes more clearly.

They were looking directly into hers. And they were emerald.